loves me. You at least will be faithful to me, Arthur.”
The horse, as if it understood these words, bent its red
nostrils toward the king’s face, and parting his lips
displayed all its teeth, as if with pleasure.
“Yes, yes,” said the king, caressing it with his hand, “yes,
my Arthur, thou art a fond and faithful creature.”
After this little scene Charles threw himself into the
saddle, and turning to Athos, Aramis and Winter, said:
“Now, gentlemen, I am at your service.”
But Athos was standing with his eyes fixed on a black line
which bordered the banks of the Tyne and seemed to extend
double the length of the camp.
“What is that line?” cried Athos, whose vision was still
rather obscured by the uncertain shades and demi-tints of
daybreak. “What is that line? I did not observe it
yesterday.”
“It must be the fog rising from the river,” said the king.
“Sire, it is something more opaque than the fog.”
“Indeed!” said Winter, “it appears to me like a bar of red
color.”
“It is the enemy, who have made a sortie from Newcastle and
are surrounding us!” exclaimed Athos.
“The enemy!” cried the king.
“Yes, the enemy. It is too late. Stop a moment; does not
that sunbeam yonder, just by the side of the town, glitter
on the Ironsides?”
This was the name given the cuirassiers, whom Cromwell had
made his body-guard.
“Ah!” said the king, “we shall soon see whether my
Highlanders have betrayed me or not.”
“What are you going to do?” exclaimed Athos.
“To give them the order to charge, and run down these
miserable rebels.”
And the king, putting spurs to his horse, set off to the
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tent of Lord Leven.
“Follow him,” said Athos.
“Come!” exclaimed Aramis.
“Is the king wounded?” cried Lord Winter. “I see spots of
blood on the ground.” And he set off to follow the two
friends.
He was stopped by Athos.
“Go and call out your regiment,” said he; “I can foresee
that we shall have need of it directly.”
Winter turned his horse and the two friends rode on. It had
taken but two minutes for the king to reach the tent of the
Scottish commander; he dismounted and entered.
The general was there, surrounded by the more prominent
chiefs.
“The king!” they exclaimed, as all rose in bewilderment.
Charles was indeed in the midst of them, his hat on his
head, his brows bent, striking his boot with his riding
whip.
“Yes, gentlemen, the king in person, the king who has come
to ask for some account of what has happened.”
“What is the matter, sire?” exclaimed Lord Leven.
“It is this, sir,” said the king, angrily, “that General
Cromwell has reached Newcastle; that you knew it and I was
not informed of it; that the enemy have left the town and
are now closing the passages of the Tyne against us; that
our sentinels have seen this movement and I have been left
unacquainted with it; that, by an infamous treaty you have
sold me for two hundred thousand pounds to Parliament. Of
this treaty, at least, I have been warned. This is the
matter, gentlemen; answer and exculpate yourselves, for I
stand here to accuse you.”
“Sire,” said Lord Leven, with hesitation, “sire, your
majesty has been deceived by false reports.”
“My own eyes have seen the enemy extend itself between
myself and Scotland; and I can almost say that with my own
ears I have heard the clauses of the treaty debated.”
The Scotch chieftains looked at each other in their turn
with frowning brows.
“Sire,” murmured Lord Leven, crushed by shame, “sire, we are
ready to give you every proof of our fidelity.”
“I ask but one,” said the king; “put the army in battle
array and face the enemy.”
“That cannot be, sire,” said the earl.
“How, cannot be? What hinders it?” exclaimed the king.
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“Your majesty is well aware that there is a truce between us
and the English army.”
“And if there is a truce the English army has broken it by